English Language Proficiency

Regardless of citizenship, applicants whose native language is not English and do not qualify for a waiver, are required to demonstrate English Proficiency  so an admission decision can be made. 

The test score must be valid within two years prior to March 30 for fall term applicants and prior to August 31 for spring term applicants. Due to the paper-delivered TOEFL exam being discontinued, it will only be accepted through April 11, 2023 with a minimum score of 500. CSUF TOEFL Institution Code - 4589 

Undergraduate  exam requirements

You can demonstrate English Language Proficiency by meeting the following exam benchmarks.

Test Minimum Requirement
TOEFL Opens in new window iBT (including paper, home)  61
IELTSOpens in new window Academic Test 5.5
PTEOpens in new window Academic Test 43

The following criteria will be used to waive the English Language Proficiency requirement:

First Year Applicants

Completed at least 3 years of high school academic coursework taught in English; either in the U.S. or in a country where English is the native language of instruction or complete the following:

SAT English Reading & Writing 550
ACT English 22
AP English Language or Literature 3
IB English A: Literature HL 4
GE A2: Written Communication C-

Transfer Applicants

Completed at least 60 semester/90 quarter transferrable units of college coursework taught in English including the completion of the "Golden Four" with a grade of "C-" or better:

  • A1: Oral Communication
  • A2: Written Communication
  • A3: Critical Thinking
  • B4: Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning

 

graduate exam Requirement

You can demonstrate English Language Proficiency by meeting the following exam benchmarks.

 
Applicants TOEFL IELTS PTE Duolingo
Masters/Graduate 550 or 80 iBT  6.5 58 110
MBA/Graduate Business 570 or 88-89 iBT 7.0 65 120
TESOL 573 or 89 iBT (w/ 26 speaking) 7.0 65 135
Art with concentration in Graphic Design 85 iBT 6.5 58 115
Engineering and Computer Science 550 or 80 iBT 6.5 58 125
English 600 or 100 iBT 7.5 65 140

If you have earned a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university in a country where English is the native language, you may be exempt from the English Language Proficiency examination requirement. 

For graduate major specific minimum scores, visit Graduate Eligibility Requirements. 

Country of Instruction Qualifying for Automatic Wavier

COUNTRIES WITH ENGLISH AS THE ONLY LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION

The English Language Proficiency is automatically waived for the following countries:   Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Ascension, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, England, Eritrea, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & The Grenadines, Scotland, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Wales, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Important: Upon evaluation, the English Language Proficiency To-Do item will be removed  as official documents are received. Please allow time for processing.